<< >> NASA ASRS Report 493300, November 2000

Captain alone in the cockpit on an oceanic flight communicating with ZOA ARTCC believed he heard a clearance to climb.

Attributes
ACN	493300
Time
Date	200011
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : duets
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 36000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc tower : lax.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	493300
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude
Independent Detector	other controllera other controllerb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On wbound flight to hawaii, flight planned for mach .80, FL360, was advised by ZLA that radar contact was lost and I thought I heard 'cleared to crossing altitude.' I climbed from FL350 (last assigned) to FL360 and called san francisco radio to report duets as the first mandatory reporting point on route R576. Was advised by san francisco radio to descend back to FL350 at the time of the call, I was alone in the cockpit, on oxygen, as the first officer had stepped out of the cockpit. The combination of being on speaker and expecting to hear clearance for the crossing altitude led me to assume I was cleared to FL360. I should have confirmed the call with ATC or with san francisco radio, but thought I was doing the right thing. My preoccupation with personal matters was possibly a contributing factor. Bottom line: don't assume -- confirm.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT ALONE IN THE COCKPIT ON AN OCEANIC FLT COMMUNICATING WITH ZOA ARTCC BELIEVED HE HEARD A CLRNC TO CLB.

Narrative: ON WBOUND FLT TO HAWAII, FLT PLANNED FOR MACH .80, FL360, WAS ADVISED BY ZLA THAT RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AND I THOUGHT I HEARD 'CLRED TO XING ALT.' I CLBED FROM FL350 (LAST ASSIGNED) TO FL360 AND CALLED SAN FRANCISCO RADIO TO RPT DUETS AS THE FIRST MANDATORY RPTING POINT ON RTE R576. WAS ADVISED BY SAN FRANCISCO RADIO TO DSND BACK TO FL350 AT THE TIME OF THE CALL, I WAS ALONE IN THE COCKPIT, ON OXYGEN, AS THE FO HAD STEPPED OUT OF THE COCKPIT. THE COMBINATION OF BEING ON SPEAKER AND EXPECTING TO HEAR CLRNC FOR THE XING ALT LED ME TO ASSUME I WAS CLRED TO FL360. I SHOULD HAVE CONFIRMED THE CALL WITH ATC OR WITH SAN FRANCISCO RADIO, BUT THOUGHT I WAS DOING THE RIGHT THING. MY PREOCCUPATION WITH PERSONAL MATTERS WAS POSSIBLY A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. BOTTOM LINE: DON'T ASSUME -- CONFIRM.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.